This invention relates to time keeping, and more particularly, to a system and a method that links a user to media through a distributed network at a requested time.
Distributed technology such as the Internet provides users with access to a variety of information and services. Many users access distributed networks to view or distribute information ranging from news to commercial offers. A number of companies advertise through distributed networks and solicit sales. These users create a large domain of information and services that are not always accessible or achieve their desired objectives.
A variety of software is available through distributed networks that measure and display time. Some of this software is also capable of playing a compact disc, simulating a tone, or decoding a media file. In some instances, the media file must be stored in memory before a media player can decode it. Some software cannot receive files or Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) or allow users to display up-to-the-minute or real time audio and visual news, headlines, or sports when the software is not connected to the network. Moreover, some of the software is event driven, meaning the software completes a search only when responding to a user response, such as a user actuating a keyboard command or clicking a button on a mouse. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that automatically communicates with a distributed network, harvests user selected media, and automatically plays the selected media in a pre-programmed order at a pre-programmed time.
The dashed lines of FIG. 1 represent optional structure. As shown, the speech synthesizer, transceivers, modem, set-top box, etc., are not included in each variation of the first embodiment. Similarly, the dashed lines of FIGS. 2–12 illustrate that other acts can occur before or after each illustrated act. Likewise, the dashed boxes illustrate optional acts.